Monday, October 15, 2007

It's Blog Action Day!

Today, 15,861 bloggers worldwide are posting their thoughts and concerns about the environment, sustainability, and climate change. I can imagine thousands of people giving their .02-cents about various environmental issues today, which is fabulous.

But today I decided to go down memory lane and reflect upon my experience hosting BagFest. In just four hours, folks in my community donated 72,571 plastic bags for recycling, which filled up half of a Wal-Mart semi-truck.

That's me captured in a spontaneous moment of acting silly inside the truck. I remember being somewhat awestruck when I saw those bags getting ready to be hauled for recycling - We actually did this - Unbelievable! It's beautiful to remember how everyone worked together to help make BagFest a successful event.

But I certainly didn't plan this event just for me to act silly in front a pile of plastic bags! And six-months later, I'm chairing the recycling committee and working on research projects that investigate the relationship between cognition and environmentalism. Why do this? Am I some kind of sado-masochist? No, I think not.

There's perhaps several reasons why I'm passionate about protecting the environment, but the bottom line is this: There is more to life than just thinking about me (my career, my relationships, my future). I remember years ago feeling quite depressed about getting a job right out of graduate school. In trying to console me, a good friend of mine said that life is much bigger than this (i.e., the state of affairs I was experiencing at that time) - and she was right. Her words, in some circuitous fashion, have led me on an journey to explore just how large, complex, and magnificient this world really is and how someone as small and insignificant as me could find her place in this world.

1 comment:

I remember this day quite clearly. I also was so shocked to see so many bags being piled up in that truck. That was definately a day well spent. Knowing I did something good for the environment encouraged me to want to do more. Who would of known I'd ever be concerned about these problems. I guess, some things change:)

Project Goals

This blog initially began as a class project to 1) raise public awareness on the consumption of plastic bags; 2) apply students' statistical training and knowledge to a real-world issue in our community; and 3) instill a sense of personal responsibility that inspires behavioral, environmental, and economic changes.

The goal to conserve plastic bags has since evolved to include a multitude of environmental issues. Consequently, this blog largely chronicles a college professor's personal and professional journey to educate herself and others to live, work, and play in a sustainable fashion.